"The European country select dividend index series now cover all major developed investment markets in Europe. The indexes follow the unique concept of our select dividend indexes, in which components are weighted according to dividend yield instead of market capitalization," says Lars Hamich, managing director of STOXX Ltd, the joint venture responsible for Dow Jones Indexes' business development in Europe and Asia. "The new Dow Jones Europe Country Select Dividend Indexes give investors further alternatives to diversify their portfolios with returns from leading dividend-paying companies domiciled in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK."

To be eligible for inclusion in the Dow Jones Europe Country Select Dividend Indexes, a component must have a positive, historical, five-year dividend-per-share growth rate and a dividend-to-earnings-per-share ratio of less than or equal to 80% in the current year, or be a previous component.

Each company's weight in the Dow Jones Europe Country Select Dividend Indexes is based on its indicated annual dividend yield. The indicated annual dividend yields for all components are totaled, and each component's weight is equal to its dividend yield contribution. The weight of individual components in the Dow Jones Select Dividend Indexes for France, Germany, Italy and the U.K. is restricted to 15%, whereas the weight of the individual components in the Dow Jones Select Dividend Indexes for the Netherlands and Sweden is restricted to 20%. Such restrictions are implemented quarterly.

The Dow Jones Europe Country Select Dividend Indexes are reviewed on an annual basis in March. Price and total return indexes are calculated in US dollars and in the respective local currency, namely the Euro, Swedish Krona and British Pound.

Daily historical data is available back to 31 December, 1998, with a base value set at 100. Components and weightings are available at www.djindexes.com.